| 1. I am an American, fighting in the forces, which guard my country
and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
As a member of the armed forces it is always your duty to oppose the enemies of the United States. This applies whether you are in active combat or confined as a prisoner of war. Your responsibility is to guard "our way of life " and to be prepared to sacrifice your life if that is what it takes to accomplish this mission. You need only watch the evening news to know that there are problems in America, that is not a perfect nation. But anyone who has traveled the world (as you may well do before your time in the Navy is over) will tell you that the United States of America is the greatest of all nations. |
| 2. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will
never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means
to resist. You must not surrender unless you have no other choice except senseless death. As long as you have the ability to resist being captured, either by engaging the enemy in combat or by evading you must do so. If you continued resistance would result in your death and it would serve some useful purpose to the mission then you should not surrender. But if you continued resistance would result in your death and have no affect on the outcome of the mission, then surrender is acceptable. This responsibility extends to anyone in command as well. The commander must not surrender the people I her or his command unless they can no longer fight or avoid capture and the only other choice is for them to die with no useful purpose. |
| 3. If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available.
I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept
neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. The duty of a member of the armed forces is to continue resistance by all means available is not lessened by the misfortune of capture. You should escape by any means possible and help others to escape. Parole agreements are promises given by the captor to the POW to fulfill stated conditions of special privileges. You must never sign or enter into any parole agreement. |
| 4. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow
prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action, which
might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If
not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me, and will
back them up in every way. Information or any other action that harms a fellow prisoner is shameful. POWs must not help the enemy identify fellow prisoners who may have knowledge of value to the enemy, and who may therefore be tortured. Strong leadership is essential to discipline and being in a POW situation does not lessen this. With out discipline, camp organization, resistance, and even survival may be impossible. Personal hygiene camp sanitation and care of the sick and wounded are imperative, and it is up to the leaders to ensure these things are accomplished to the best of everyone's ability. Officers and Petty Officers will continue to carry out there responsibilities and exercise their authority after capture. The senior line officer, petty officer, or non commissioned officer within the POW camp or group will assume command according to rank. |
| 5. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required
to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering
further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written
statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
When questioned, a prisoner of war is permitted to disclose his name, rank, service number, and date of birth. A prisoner of war may tell the enemy about his individual health or welfare as a prisoner of war, and when appropriate, on routine matters of camp administration. Forbidden are : oral or written confessions (whether true or false), questionnaires, personal history statements, propaganda recordings and broadcasts, appeals to other prisoners of war, signatures of peace or surrender appeals criticism, or any other oral or written communication on behalf of the enemy or critical or harmful to the United States, its allies, its armed forces or other prisoners. It is a violation of the Geneva Convention to subject a prisoner of war to physical or mental torture or any other form of coercion to secure information of any kind. If, however, a prisoner is subjected to such treatment, he will endeavor to avoid by any means the enclosure of any information, or the making of any statement or the performance of any action harmful to the interests of the United States or its allies, or which will provide aid or comfort to the enemy. |
| 6. I will never forget that I am an American fighting man, responsible
for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free.
I will trust in my God and in the United States of America. Capture and the time of detention, with due regard for the rights of the individual and consideration for the conditions of captivity. A member of the armed forces who becomes a prisoner of war has a continuing obligation to remain loyal to his country, his service and his unit. The life of a prisoner of war is hard, but he must never give up hope. He must resist enemy indoctrination. Prisoners of war who stand firm and united against the enemy will help one another survive this ordeal. |